"ZEMYNA" IS A BALTIC GODDESS OF SPRING AND REBIRTH. SHE CREATES LIFE OUT OF HERSELF, PERFORMING THE MIRACLE OF RENEWAL; HENCE, SHE WAS A GODDESS OF THE "SPRING." ALL LIFE CAME FROM HER. AS A FERTILITY GODDESS, HER BLESSING WAS INVOKED AT THE BIRTH OF EVERY CHILD. SHE DIDN'T JUST PRESIDE OVER HUMAN FERTILITY, THOUGH; SHE WAS THE PERSONIFICATION OF THE EARTH ITSELF AND ITS MYSTERIOUS LIFE FORCE. EVERY FLOWER, TREE, AND WEED WAS WATCHED OVER AND CARED FOR BY THIS GODDESS.

SHE IS THE DAUGHTER OF THE SUN GODDESS, "SAULE "AND WAS CALLED "BLOSSOMER" OR "FLOWER GIVER" IN THE BALTIC POEMS WHICH HONOR HER. BIRCH, MAPLE, OAK, AND LINDEN TREES ARE HER PREFERRED TREES LILIES WERE ALSO LOVED BY THIS GODDESS AS THIS IS WHERE THE SPIRIT OF YOUNG GIRLS RESIDED. IN EVERY YARD, ONE OF THESE TREES WOULD BE PLANTED IN A PLACE OF HONOR AND THEN REGARDED AS A WAY TO CLIMB TO HEAVEN.

THE TOP OF THE TREE WAS CONSIDERED THE MOST SACRED PART AS THIS WAS CLOSEST TO HEAVEN. OFFERINGS OF FOOD WERE REVERENTLY PLACED IN FRONT OF STONE NEAR THIS HOLY TREE OR TIED TO ONE OF THE BRANCHES. SOMETIMES THESE OFFERINGS WERE THROWN INTO A STREAM OF FLOWING WATER AS GRATITUDE FOR HER BOUNTY.